Arsenal Military Academy (2019)

Awesome chemistry between actors

The story is set around the early 1900s and revolved around a military school and lives of their students and instructors etc.

Main character is a lady who cross-dressed as a boy to attend the school in the name of her dead brother. 2 fellow students fell for her and no surprise, she eventually ended up with the character who is somewhat a playboy and immature. Personally I find the character of the 1st male lead irritating and irresponsible. It is also because of his impulsive nature that caused numerous issues and eventually the death of a close friend.

The 2nd male lead in comparison is a gentleman and man of righteous character. Was disappointed that the female lead did not fall for him and it was quite boring for me to watch after. I skipped through all the parts with the 1st male lead and female lead after, hahaha.

This drama is full of action and entertaining to watch. It also has history component in it and allows for viewers to understand alittle about what happened after the fall of the Qing Dynasty etc. Definitely worth watching!

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Must Watch

Not sure where to start since there are so many impressive elements to address for this drama series. Having known Bai Lu was an extremely talented actress already, I came in with high expectations. I wasn't prepared for the amazing cinematography, acting, and storyline the series had to offer. The characters were portrayed so well by the actors, so big big big props to them. I haven't seen a drama that enticed me as much in a while so Arsenal Military Academy really was a breath of fresh air. The set depicted China in the early 1900s extremely well I was pleasantly surprised by the architecture and fashion style. Ngl, I shed a few tears in some scenes but honestly, the audience had it coming...In conclusion, super great and one of a kind film. I've fallen for all of the cast especially Xu Kai and Bai Lu <3

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Second Favorite drama after The Untamed

I don’t usually write review..it is my second review writing..and the first was the untamed...
It has become my second next fav drama after untamed..literally become Xukai fan after watching it..this drama will take only few minutes to make you laugh, cry, angry and fall in love with all the cast.. the best thing is that you will eventually love all the love triangles..they acted so well that you will end up praying, O God they might be a couple..thn you will realize no..they aren't main..
even the songs are strong enough to pierce your ♥
some deaths will left you being sad... but the end is pleasing enough.
The friendship in the drama was outstanding and too touchy..the feelings, expression and the way of avenging the friend was superb....the tactics of defeating the enemies was unpredictable..and unbelievable.
Actor:
After this one, i finished every drama of Xukai and can't get over him...such a brilliant actor. You will be surprised how he switches his role from being naughty to a responsible brave guy.
Other than main role:
As I said, you will undoubtedly love all the cast.. but I need to say, after the main characters, you just can't ignore the character Qu Manting...Brilliant..Even if there were not the main character's love story, this character will make you love the drama..she just killed me by laughing
Rewatch:
I rewatched it for 3 times in a row...maybe the number will increase if i miss him..i loved it

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What a handsome squad!

Wholesome drama, great acting, great storyline, great villain and a really mischievious Xu Kai!
What more could a drama asked for??

While we were served with so many good woman-pretend-to-be-man drama like the legendary hanazakarino kimitachie (both Japanese- Horikita Maki and Taiwanese ver -Ella Chen), to the beautiful you (kor- park shinhye) and sunkyunkwan scandal (kor- park minyoung), NOBODY, I REPEAT, NOBODY DOING IT LIKE BAI LU!

From the swag, and the way Xie Liangchen carry herself, you would think she is truly a man. Just you know, a little bit shorter and smaller. The way her voice tone also perfect for the character. It give an appearance of a calm but principle man. Even when she became Xie Xiang, it doesn't look ridiculous.

Xu kai oh xu kai. When I wrote this, I have just finished The Legends and I wholeheartedly like Xu Kai better in this. Guy can act, I give him that. He made the show entertaining. Although sometimes he can get annoying, especially when it comes to teasing Liangchen. His facial expression and gesture is to die for, (ya know when he winked???)

Worthy mentioned about this drama is the roller coaster unrequited love.

Gu Yanzhen > Xie Xiang
Shen Junshan > Xie Xiang
Shen Tingbai > Qu Manting
Qu Manting > Gu Yanzhen
Huang Song > Xie Xiang

Half through this drama, I was wondering if the pairing ever got together and luckily, they did! In a manner that just flow naturally, it felt like they just come back to where they belong.

Storyline:
The reason why it wasn't a ten because this damn storyline on the first half of the series. While I venture into the drama knowing who the main CP is, even I got confused of the Shen Junshan-Xie Xiang and Gu Yanzhen-Qu Manting. They seems to have more screentime and moment with the 2nd lead than with each other. At one time, I swore I felt guilty rooting for Qu Manting and Gu Yanzhen.

I'm not someone who like slowburn but suprisingly, I can deal with this one voluntarily. I didn't even skipped or fast forward. It just that the drama kinda failed to tell us exactly how Xie Xiang ended up discovering her love for Gu Yanzhen. I mean, what was the specific moment?
I know she never really like Shen Junshan like that. We all see that she only like him for reminding of her brother. But half of the drama, I did wonder if Xie Xiang/Liangchen is going to fall for our male lead or not. And when she decided she is, I just couldn't pin point why. Like YOU FIND THAT GUY ABSOLUTELY ANNOYING BEFORE AND NOW YOU LIKE HIM?? WHY?

Anyway, as a period drama enthusiast, I find this drama very good and worth remembering. The costume is great, the idea of patriotism is superb. You had people of all walk of life fighting for their country whether its the military soldier, bussinessman, students, or secret society. It is a good reminder on what it was like during that time. And I appreciate that a lot.

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One of the best cdramas ever

I was avoiding Arsenal Military Academy for a long time because the theme really doesn't speak to me, but decided to give it a try due to high ratings and XuKai playing one of the leading roles. And boy, I'm so glad I did! It's really one of the best series in terms of plot, production, and well-written characters that make the series so good. It's really all about people, relationships, emotions, and complicated choices they have to make due to their own reasons, beliefs, or life situations.

○Amazing acting○

First, I have to say that acting is truly superb in the series, From the slightly tired and discouraged army veterans and teachers in the academy (who still do their job out of duty) to passionate youths, who are all about taking action, even if it means sacrificing themselves for the greater good. I'm not a fan of this type of patriotism as I believe all life is precious and one shouldn't just throw it away, but in this world, there is a place for everything, and the series made everything very believable, and everyone's reasoning worked too well. You start really feeling what each character is all about, so their actions just made sense.

○Loveable characters○

☼ XuKai's Gu Yanzheng goes from a troublesome teen to an equally troublesome military student, but we see his growth and passion, and how manly he becomes, without ever losing his identity. His playful and mischievous side is always amazing to watch, and the way he expresses his love for Xie Liancheng is both funny and heart-warming. He's not afraid to be himself no matter what he does, even when acting like a kid.

☼ Xie Liangchen, portrayed by BaiLu, is figuring out what really matters in life after her brother's death and even goes so far as to take his identity, trying to understand him better (and as a result, to understand herself). I don't think living someone else's life is a good idea, but while doing so, one can discover a lot about themselves - and that was the path she chose. She became stronger and turned into a great fighter just because she wanted to - so she could help others and protect her friends. She's definitely not the usual girly type of girl, I guess that's why she and Gu Yanzheng clicked so well together.

☼Shen Junshan stole the spotlight many times and their love triangle with Xie Liangchen and Gu Yanzheng was really believable as all the male leads were great at portraying complex emotions. Xie Liancheng really needed to get to know herself better to understand what she wanted and whom she liked. Shen Junshan is a more reserved type, but very manly, gentle, and protective. I just feel he was more of a traditional guy and Xie Liancheng was definitely not a traditional girl, according to the choices she made in life, that's why she was drawn more to Gu Yanzheng (well, and there's also love that works in mysterious ways:)

☼I also adore Qu Manting - she's brave, open, and free to do whatever she wants no matter what other people think. For a woman back in the day I can't imagine that was easy, especially without the support of the family. In many aspects, she acted like a spoilt child and demanded love and attention from other people, but she was also fearless and I could see that she and Gu Yanzheng really had a lot in common and could become a power-couple if it was real life and not a scripted performance. They both were always open about their feelings for each other and other people, they said what was on their minds and acted passionately on a whim, which sometimes led to dreadful consequences. People like that aren't afraid to live (or to die) and they do everything to the maximum of their capabilities. That's why their love is also fiery, passionate, and grand. Qu Manting wasn't afraid to make grand gestures for Gu Yanzheng (her saving him from the wedding was a total blast, it was really one of the best episodes ever with their fake relationship, although her love was quite genuine), just like Gu Yanzheng wasn't afraid to do grand gestures for Xie Liancheng (him playing the piano in the candlelight right inside the military academy was just beyond stunning, attention-seeking, but also genuine). I also feel that Qu Manting was avoiding Shen TingBai for a long time because he could actually make her happy, but in a different way, with fewer fireworks and fiery emotions. For some reason she was avoiding him, going for Gu Yanzheng who was obviously in love with someone else. In the end, though, I guess she realized that love can be different as there are different kinds of relationships (that don't always have to explode in your face all the time).

☼The story of Huo Xiaoyu, who is far more than just a bartender owner, and Guo Shuting, was tragic and amazing in many aspects. I don't want to spoil it, but so many characters in the story are inter-connected and their past and present, all is written beautifully in the plot.

Anyway, all these love triangles made for a very captivating watch with lots of truly funny moments. Given the theme of the series, I was surprised at just how many cute and fluffy scenes this drama has, especially with the theme of cross-dressing. Naturally, Gu Yanzheng was openly acting like a man fully in love, not caring that his love interest looked like a guy to everyone else. This is one of the most endearing aspects of his character, and also the reason for a handful of hilarious scenes. It's a pity the director had to cut lots of romantic moments, but even without the kissing scenes, all the romances in the series are beyond enjoyable (but do watch a few cut scenes on YouTube, they are too precious).

○The atmosphere○

All the costumes, osts, and scene decorations deserve an honorable mention, too. The production was amazing and very life-like, and I especially loved everyone's styles. Gu Yanzheng was like a cool military-esque male model dressing in style every time. He was really something else, also because he came from the upper class and could probably spend more money on stylish outfits. Qu Manting's dresses were attention-grabbing and worthy of a star singer. You could always tell by her outfits she wasn't just an ordinary woman - she had a presence and wanted to grab attention with her looks as well. Huo Xiaoyu exuded charm and elegance whenever she was dressing up - she just had a special aura about her, and the designers made her look even more stunning.

○Conclusion○

This drama is just too good in many aspects. I recommend watching it even if you're not a fan of the military genre - it is so much more than that. With brilliant acting, stunning scenes, lots of love and drama, this is definitely one of the best series about human relationships and life in general.

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I loves every single character n cant stop crying over the last few episodes... it still hurts.

I loved both Bai Lu n Xu Kai chemistry, its so strong n loving it. Such a cute couple. Xu Kai is such a snobbish rich man son with political power n his rebellious character is so funny, his love towards Bai Lu were so open n funny yet so sweet at the same time.

I liked how other characthers so well, their circle of friends are so fun... loves the rich girl character too. She's strong, demanding yet very real. She's who she is. I just loves all even those who played as villain.

I wished the ending could have all of them enjoying their happy hour time together...

Highly Recommended!

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He disfrutado cada episodio, de verdad

Este es mi drama favorito ahora mismo. Al principio no creí que pudiera sorprenderme tanto, pero fue toda una sorpresa para mi.

La ambientación, el reparto y la trama son elementos muy importantes y esta serie cumple con todos ellos. Por una parte, tiene una ambientación de diez, con escenarios preciosos, una dirección de cámara genial y muy buena forma de comunicar lo que pasa en cada momento, consigue que te metas de lleno en la historia y te atrape desde el principio. Sientes el miedo constante de que descubran el secreto de la protagonista.

Por otra parte, el reparto es brutal, con Bai Lu como personaje principal no esperaba menos. Bai Lu ha demostrado una gran habilidad para desempeñar su trabajo como actriz, he visto varias series de ella y en cada una es una persona totalmente distinta. Tiene sus rasgos como actriz, pero no deja que su personalidad entre en el personaje (al contrario que otras actrices que no voy a nombrar aquí), y eso es lo que construye a una buena actriz como ella. El personaje de Xu Kai a veces me resulta un poco molesto e incoherente, no voy a mentir, pero su habilidad como actor es inmejorable, es uno de los personajes más desarrollados de la trama, tiene un cambio paulatino desde el principio hasta el último episodio, y el actor es capaz de representar ese cambio, hace que te lo creas. Por último, el otro personaje destacable que me gustaría mencionar es Oda Hiroshi, interpretado por Gao Yu Er; creo que es una de las mejores villanas que he visto en un drama chino. Su personaje está bien construido desde el principio, sabes perfectamente que no pinta bien desde su primera aparición en escena, llegas incluso a sentir lástima por ella en algún momento. Es conmovedora y odiosa al mismo tiempo, y por supuesto el trabajo de la actriz tiene mucho que ver.

La trama quizás es algo densa, al principio cuesta coger el ritmo, yo no he sido capaz de ver más de cuatro capítulos seguidos de esta serie. Cada capitulo requiere atención y paciencia, no creo que sea una serie para ver de forma rápida, sino para apreciar la historia, entenderla bien y fijarse en cada detalle. Lo que más me gusta de esta serie es que el motivo principal no es el amor, sino el orgullo, la familia, los valores del ser humano. No quiero dar muchos detalles, solo espero que os animéis a darle una oportunidad y disfrutéis tanto como lo he hecho yo.

Si has llegado hasta aquí, muchísimas gracias!

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Best quality drama I have seen so far

This is for sure the best quality drama I have seen

<3 Actors
The main cast is brilliant. The 4 mains characters were all cast perfectly, the main girl Xie and the main guy Gu have a great chemistry and both played their roles with brio.
2nd set of main characters Shen and Qu are both excellent as well. Qu's character could have been annoying but her facial expressions and changes of mood were delicately done and she managed to make her character quite endearing.
All side characters including the main villain are also great, you get attached to so many of them and don’t get disappointed at any point by their performance

<3 Story
The story is not always simple, like most dramas it’s always problem after problems after problems! Sometimes maybe a little bit too intense especially towards the end where many side villains are introduced.
But overall it’s very interesting, I actually made a lot of researches regarding this era while watching as I thought it was really captivating (pre-World War I).
The main love story is also really endearing, and the actors and writers made a great effort at adding a lot of humour around the cheesiness of some lines which made it very believable (a lot of times I related to side characters reacting to Public Display of Affection)
There are obviously some “short cuts” but these were much less problematic than any other dramas I watched before

<3 Fa Mulan
The “Fa Mulan” classic girl/guy story was more believable than in some dramas I have watched before, though sometimes I was like: “come on”
However the main character is strong independant woman which was really refreshing. I liked that they had to save her a few times, but she also saved her friends by using both strength and intelligence (not only intelligence).
She’s got a strong will power, like a lot of main actresses in dramas but this time she doesn’t hid behind men for help, she’s solving things by herself or using her team and this is soooo good to watch

<3 Open minded show!
Even though, there is no real homosexuality happening in the drama, there are actually a lot of reference to it. The drama is quite "open minded" about it and I thought brought a pretty fresh eye by promoting a “and so what” attitude towards men couples instead of other characters just making fun or being weird about it! I thought this was also really refreshing.

<3 Costumes/set/Visual effects
Great great effort! The set is amazing, such a perfect location, the houses, the dorms, canteen, bar, houses all are really well chosen.
Costumes were really good, only thing I thought could be better was the choice of some shoes/boots. Maybe very similar to historic costumes I didn’t not look closer to this.
Visual effects were average ok, better than any drama I have seen so far.

<3 Music
Was good overall.
Towards the end when it get patriotic though it gets a bit too cheesy.

< / 3 Patrio tism
You don’t feel it too much in the first 2 third of the movie but last 5/6 episodes it gets really intense and too cheesy. This has been my only real issue with the drama. An equivalent of Avengers Captain America if you want, about saving your country, being proud to kill people, hating on some political views well intended to please the government in place in 2022… It was too much, and you feel it which takes you out of the drama story a bit as you can feel it’s been edited to please “some” people

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Overall Great Characters

I found a few of the characters a little annoying, but they all have their redeeming qualities. You have the rich guys Gu Yanzhen and Shen Junshan who have opposing personalities, but believe loyalty and friendship is the most valuable commodity. And then you have Huang Song who comes from much poorer roots, but is high-achieving in his own right and aspires to be successful and support his family. At the center of it all is Xie Liangchen/Xie Xiang who disguises herself as a man to attend the academy. This lends her into ending up in a lot of peculiar situations. Even though she doesn't perform as well as her classmates at first, her bravery shines throughout the series.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this series to anyone, particularly those who love drama, action, and some comedic LOL moments.

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My first review

Story: That's super epic
Cast and their Performance: Except the main hero Xu Kai, all others did well. In this drama, Gu Yan Zhen (Xu Kai) was depicted as a drunkard and useless loose talker. It is surprising that Xu Kai, the most fan-friendly character on the show, plays such a small role in such a serious combat battle series.
Performance Appraisal: I think Bai Lu (Xie Liang Chen), Gao Yu Er (Oda Hiroshi) and Liu Min (Huo Xiao Yu) did a great job, and they are the series' leads. Liu Si Bo (Huang Song) and Toby Lee (Shen Jun Shan) are also highly committed to their roles. In this series, Hong Yao (Shen Ting Bai) is my hero without a doubt. As always, he performed his role to the best of his abilities. Despite having a lot of screen time, Jia Yi (Qu Man Ting) had little opportunity to show off her acting ability.

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